Research oriented towards interdisciplinarity
The interaction of mathematics with other disciplines and with the economic world has always been a source of inspiration because of the questions it raises and the new problems it brings, even contributing to the development of new branches of mathematics.
Research at the interfaces
The Insmi supports research into new mathematics at the frontiers of related sciences such as biology, physics, medicine, ecology, computer science and engineering.
This research at the interfaces is developed not only with the various CNRS institutes, but also in close partnership with major institutions such as the Institut national de recherche en informatique et en automatique (Inria), the Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm) and the Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Inrae).
Interdisciplinary interaction at the Insmi can take several forms: cross-support and cross-tendering between institutes or within the Mission for Transversal and Interdisciplinary Initiatives (MITI); collaborative programmes with other institutes; cross-assignments of researchers, etc.
The Mathematics in Interaction research programme (PEPR Maths-Vives)
Today's major issues, such as climate change, the loss of biodiversity and the management of epidemics, call for conceptual advances in which mathematics has an important role to play. Mathematics can help to meet the scientific challenges of the 21st century by providing theoretical insights and numerical methods through the modelling, analysis and simulation of complex phenomena.
The Mathematics in Interaction research programme (PEPR Maths-Vives) aims to bring mathematics into dialogue with other disciplines in order to innovate for life, the environment and society.
Find out more about Maths-Vives
The Institut des Mathématiques pour la Planète Terre
The iMPT is a scientific interest group (GIS) initiated by the Insmi and the Mathématiques Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes research federation. It promotes and structures interactions between mathematics and the other sciences, focusing on issues related to planet Earth and the interdependence of mankind and its ecosystem. To meet the major challenges of mathematics for planet Earth, the iMPT structures its activities around 3 priorities
- Living Earth
- Solid fluid Earth
- Human Earth
Find out more on the iMPT website
The Mission for cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary initiatives
The main objectives of the Mission for Interdisciplinary and Cross-disciplinary Initiatives (MITI) are to support interdisciplinary research programmes and cross-disciplinary initiatives within the CNRS, to organise forward-looking symposia and to coordinate cross-disciplinary business and technology networks.
Mathematicians involved in interactions
- Laure Saint-Raymond (Prix Bôcher 2020) is working on fluid mechanics and its applications in geophysics and hydrodynamics.
- Nalini Anantharaman and Sylvia Serfaty (Poincaré Prize 2012) are interested in the interfaces between mathematics and quantum physics.
- Jean-François Le Gall (Wolf Prize 2019) has developed models that have helped in the mathematical understanding of two-dimensional quantum gravity.
- Claude Bardos (Maxwell Prize 2019) works on nonlinear partial differential equations, kinetic theory and mathematical fluid mechanics.
- Yvon Maday (Pioneer Prize 2019) has introduced powerful methods for numerical simulation, such as spectral methods, model reduction, domain decomposition, models and simulation in medical sciences, fluid-structure interaction and ab-initio chemistry. Several of his projects have led to the launch of start-ups and are widely used in industry.
- Benoît Perthame (Inria Grand Prix 2015) has developed the interface between biology and mathematics on crucial issues such as chemotaxis and cell development.
- Raphaèle Herbin 's work (2017 CNRS Innovation Medal) has led to the development of a new class of algorithms for fluid mechanics, with numerous industrial applications, such as algorithms that are now the basis of IRSN's CALIF3Ssoftware, used for nuclear safety calculations.
- Yves Meyer (Abel Prize 2017 and Gauss Prize 2010) revolutionised the engineering sciences by developing the theory of wavelets, introduced in the context of oil research.
- The work on control theory by Jean-Michel Coron (Maxwell Prize 2015) contributed to the regulation systems for the Meuse and Sambre rivers in Belgium.